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Government surveillance reports spark sales for Orwell’s 1984, Huxley’s Brave New World

Laura Wood of Skoob Books poses for a photograph with a copy of George Orwell's 1984 in central London on June 9. The novel, which is set in a world of government surveillance, was first published by 64 years ago on June 8. Government surveillance reports have sparked sales for 1984, Aldous Huxley's dystopian Brave New World and Ray Bradbury's perennial future horror book Fahrenheit 451. (TOBY MELVILLE / REUTERS)

Brave New World

A vintage cover of Fahrenheit 451

By The Associated Press

Wed., June 12, 2013

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The country’s book-buyers are reading up on being watched.

Sales for dystopian classics such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World have been strong since news broke last week that the U.S. government had vast surveillance programs targeting phones and Internet records.

Several editions of Orwell’s 1984, about an all-seeing government, were among Amazon.com’s top 200 sellers as of Wednesday morning. Huxley’s story of a mindless future ranked No. 210 and was out of stock.

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